Delicious and Healthy Food in Panama: A Surprising Guest Favorite and a Recipe for You.
Many homes around the world may be stocked with a few extra sweet treats having just celebrated Halloween so we thought we'd share an extra healthy, super tasty recipe with you to help balance the scales a bit.
Though it is a rather popular holiday around the world, here in Panama it's a different story. Halloween is not a traditional holiday, although there are plenty of parties and fun celebrations throughout the country - especially in communities where many foreigners call it home.
Don't you worry though, we aren't short on celebrations here this time of year. November is an entire month of holidays with 6 national holidays. It is the month to embrace downtime with friends and family and definitely not the month to try and get a lot accomplished because more than likely that office you plan to visit or that permit process that needs to get done just really is not going to happen.
Mañana my friend!
Not to brag, but, OK: for 7 years in a row our restaurant has won the prestigious award as Top 10% of Restaurants in the World by Trip Advisor! It's called Travelers Choice and we are super proud of our restaurant and the foods we serve our guests, and the little trophies we have in our office because of it.
When you think remote, tropical ocean-side eco resort, I wonder what your mind conjures up for the meals you would expect. If fish, fresh fruit, beans & rice, and varieties of chicken dishes come to mind, you would be spot on. At Morrillo Beach Eco Resort, we have those and so much more.
We know just how much adventure our guests like to pack in every day, so that means we need to ensure they are superpowered and ready to enjoy every surf session and waterfall hike to standup paddle boarding and exploring the surrounding nature. Our kitchen focuses on serving fresh, high-quality locally grown and organic ingredients - like this organic quinoa salad.
You are not alone when you think oh wow, exciting! A quinoa salad! Said no-one ever, that is, except our guests. It's actually a guest favorite, most likely because it's surprisingly so delicious. It's so good, even kids like it and I am not lying.
So, if you're belly is currently full of mini candy bars that you stole from your kids trick-or-treat bag when they weren't looking and you're looking for something healthy to eat, here's the recipe along with an important note in the instructions:
Quinoa:
2 C red or white quinoa
Olive oil delicious high quality
5 garlic cloves
4 C water
Salt & pepper
In a pot heat the beautiful olive oil slowly over medium heat. Add the quinoa and garlic and toast until the quinoa is lightly toasted. Slowly add the water and bring to a boil. Lower the temperature to a simmer and put the lid on. Cook on low for 15 min. Remove from heat leaving the lid on. Let it rest and steam for another 20 min. Then add salt and pepper and fluff with a fork. The quinoa should separate easily and be kind of fluffy with a good texture to it. Let it cool in the refrigerator.
Once it's cool, put it in a mixing bowl and add the following chopped ingredients. I don't have measurements, it's all about balance here. Make it look like the photo so every bite has a little of each but quinoa is the primary ingredient:
Sweet peppers
Cucumber
Red onion
Tomatoes
Fresh cilantro, basil, or green onions
Raisins whole previously soaked in warm water
Toss, rather than mix it all together with a cilantro-lime vinagrette (recipe shared with you another time). Can be enjoyed as a meal on its own or as a side dish.
Whenever possible, we recommend organic ingredients locally sourced. Tastes so much better that way, especially if you know your farmer!
**Very important side note** This dish is best enjoyed oceanside beneath the canopy of trees and entertained by nature at Morrillo Beach Eco Resort.
We hope you enjoy this healthy treat, the only trick being it always tastes better when we make it for you.
With love from Panama,
Cari and Ryan Mackey
Owners & hosts
Comments